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Guo R, Yang S, Wiesner HM, Li Y, Zhao Y, Liang ZP, Chen W, Zhu XH. Mapping intracellular NAD content in entire human brain using phosphorus-31 MR spectroscopic imaging at 7 Tesla. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1389111. [PMID: 38911598 PMCID: PMC11190064 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1389111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a crucial molecule in cellular metabolism and signaling. Mapping intracellular NAD content of human brain has long been of interest. However, the sub-millimolar level of cerebral NAD concentration poses significant challenges for in vivo measurement and imaging. Methods In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of non-invasively mapping NAD contents in entire human brain by employing a phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (31P-MRSI)-based NAD assay at ultrahigh field (7 Tesla), in combination with a probabilistic subspace-based processing method. Results The processing method achieved about a 10-fold reduction in noise over raw measurements, resulting in remarkably reduced estimation errors of NAD. Quantified NAD levels, observed at approximately 0.4 mM, exhibited good reproducibility within repeated scans on the same subject and good consistency across subjects in group data (2.3 cc nominal resolution). One set of higher-resolution data (1.0 cc nominal resolution) unveiled potential for assessing tissue metabolic heterogeneity, showing similar NAD distributions in white and gray matter. Preliminary analysis of age dependence suggested that the NAD level decreases with age. Discussion These results illustrate favorable outcomes of our first attempt to use ultrahigh field 31P-MRSI and advanced processing techniques to generate a whole-brain map of low-concentration intracellular NAD content in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Guo
- Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Shaolin Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Hannes M. Wiesner
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Yudu Li
- Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Yibo Zhao
- Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Zhi-Pei Liang
- Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Xiao-Hong Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Chan KL, Panatpur A, Messahel S, Dahshi H, Johnson T, Henning A, Ren J, Minassian BA. 1H and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals potential pathogenic and biomarker metabolite alterations in Lafora disease. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae104. [PMID: 38585668 PMCID: PMC10998360 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Lafora disease is a fatal teenage-onset progressive myoclonus epilepsy and neurodegenerative disease associated with polyglucosan bodies. Polyglucosans are long-branched and as a result precipitation- and aggregation-prone glycogen. In mouse models, downregulation of glycogen synthase, the enzyme that elongates glycogen branches, prevents polyglucosan formation and rescues Lafora disease. Mouse work, however, has not yet revealed the mechanisms of polyglucosan generation, and few in vivo human studies have been performed. Here, non-invasive in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H and 31P) was applied to test scan feasibility and assess neurotransmitter balance and energy metabolism in Lafora disease towards a better understanding of pathogenesis. Macromolecule-suppressed gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-edited 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 and 7 tesla, respectively, were performed in 4 Lafora disease patients and a total of 21 healthy controls (12 for the 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 9 for the 31PMRS). Spectra were processed using in-house software and fit to extract metabolite concentrations. From the 1H spectra, we found 33% lower GABA concentrations (P = 0.013), 34% higher glutamate + glutamine concentrations (P = 0.011) and 24% lower N-acetylaspartate concentrations (P = 0.0043) in Lafora disease patients compared with controls. From the 31P spectra, we found 34% higher phosphoethanolamine concentrations (P = 0.016), 23% lower nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide concentrations (P = 0.003), 50% higher uridine diphosphate glucose concentrations (P = 0.004) and 225% higher glucose 6-phosphate concentrations in Lafora disease patients versus controls (P = 0.004). Uridine diphosphate glucose is the substrate of glycogen synthase, and glucose 6-phosphate is its extremely potent allosteric activator. The observed elevated uridine diphosphate glucose and glucose 6-phosphate levels are expected to hyperactivate glycogen synthase and may underlie the generation of polyglucosans in Lafora disease. The increased glutamate + glutamine and reduced GABA indicate altered neurotransmission and energy metabolism, which may contribute to the disease's intractable epilepsy. These results suggest a possible basis of polyglucosan formation and potential contributions to the epilepsy of Lafora disease. If confirmed in larger human and animal model studies, measurements of the dysregulated metabolites by magnetic resonance spectroscopy could be developed into non-invasive biomarkers for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L Chan
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Aparna Panatpur
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Souad Messahel
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hamza Dahshi
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Talon Johnson
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Anke Henning
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jimin Ren
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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Ren J, Rodriguez L, Johnson T, Henning A, Dhaher YY. 17β-Estradiol Effects in Skeletal Muscle: A 31P MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) Study of Young Females during Early Follicular (EF) and Peri-Ovulation (PO) Phases. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:235. [PMID: 38337751 PMCID: PMC10854839 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14030235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The natural variation in estrogen secretion throughout the female menstrual cycle impacts various organs, including estrogen receptor (ER)-expressed skeletal muscle. Many women commonly experience increased fatigue or reduced energy levels in the days leading up to and during menstruation, when blood estrogen levels decline. Yet, it remains unclear whether endogenous 17β-estradiol, a major estrogen component, directly affects the energy metabolism in skeletal muscle due to the intricate and fluctuating nature of female hormones. In this study, we employed 2D 31P FID-MRSI at 7T to investigate phosphoryl metabolites in the soleus muscle of a cohort of young females (average age: 28 ± 6 years, n = 7) during the early follicular (EF) and peri-ovulation (PO) phases, when their blood 17β-estradiol levels differ significantly (EF: 28 ± 18 pg/mL vs. PO: 71 ± 30 pg/mL, p < 0.05), while the levels of other potentially interfering hormones remain relatively invariant. Our findings reveal a reduction in ATP-referenced phosphocreatine (PCr) levels in the EF phase compared to the PO phase for all participants (5.4 ± 4.3%). Furthermore, we observe a linear correlation between muscle PCr levels and blood 17β-estradiol concentrations (r = 0.64, p = 0.014). Conversely, inorganic phosphate Pi and phospholipid metabolite GPC levels remain independent of 17β-estradiol but display a high correlation between the EF and PO phases (p = 0.015 for Pi and p = 0.0008 for GPC). The robust association we have identified between ATP-referenced PCr and 17β-estradiol suggests that 17β-estradiol plays a modulatory role in the energy metabolism of skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Ren
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Luis Rodriguez
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA;
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Talon Johnson
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
| | - Anke Henning
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yasin Y. Dhaher
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA;
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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